Goody Two Shoes

Today has been one of those battles. You know, the one with shoes. A regular occurrence and so much improved over the last few months.
It's not personal, I know, but some days it gets to you. I have to remind myself of how far we have come.
Since the summer, and after working at this very hard, she will now pretty much wear socks and shoes.
Sometimes, increasingly, she will even wear them in the buggy!
Occasionaly, now, I have observed that she will actually keep them on in the car seat.
Often PJ will now just accept that we have to wear shoes or wellies as part of our getting ready to go out routine and often now will willingly allow me to put them on her without the screams and kicks and hits, or the throwing off of said shoes down the hallway, one or both shoes - just as we are about to leave.
Allow plenty of time, the foster carers had said.
No kidding.
I take a few calming breaths and pick up the shoes and start again.
No shoes she says.
I try, but she kicks.
Not those ones she says.
I am not fooled.
Not too many choices, I had been advised. Of the 3 million pairs, or so it seems, that she arrived with, I have gone through the pile of shoes again and narrowed the selection down considerably.
Ix pair of wellies, 1x pair of trainers, 1x pair of new boots and 1x pair of nice shoes.
I usually say boots or shoes or on other days I say wellies or trainers, depending on what we are doing.
Sometimes I simply say which ones we are wearing and give no choice - like - in the snow we wear wellies.
I triumph with one - hoorah - and then there is shoe number 2 to tackle.
After several attempts, we get there - we get on the car.
Wayhay I think. I silently cheer as we buckle seat belts and start the journey.
The voice from behind says, I've taken my socks and my shoes off Mummy.
Aaaaarrrgh, I rant.
By the third set of traffic lights, I have breathed several breaths and calm has returned to my inner and outer self.
At the 4th set of lights, we turn and arrive at our destination.
We can do this, I tell myself, as we re- dress the socks and shoes and the hoody and the coat that she has also removed.
My sense of humour returns as I realise, it's only shoes, I tell myself - and at least she doesn't take all her clothes off !
Today, the battle was over wearing shoes whilst playing at the Baby and Toddler Group.
She screamed and yelled and tried to hit and kick. It felt like forever before she calmed in my arms.
She didn't want to keep her shoes on and had thrown them off when we arrived there.
I gave her 2 choices - either wear your shoes or we go home.
Do you want to run around and play?
Yes.
Then shoes on.
Nooooooo!
I repeat the deal.
Several times.
OK she eventually says.
Shoes on.
Off you go and play.
Have fun.
I will, she says and runs off.
I am exhausted after the battle but we have success.
I have to remind myself of this and of how far we have come.
The Shoes Are On!
My Goody Two Shoes Girl.